Welcome to Street Lit.
We are grateful you have decided to join us.
Street Lit provides a safe space in which to share our creative writings and receive feedback.
Street Lit also aids in fine-tuning our delivery of spoken word and enables us to exercise our ability to critique our own and others' creative writing.
To this end, we will each be given an opportunity to read an original or borrowed piece of writing.
Once a reader has read, each member will be given a chance to comment on the piece and/or the delivery of the piece. Comments may include advice which we agree the reader need not take. A reader may specify ahead of time if they only want certain feedback.
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Once every member has commented or passed their turn, the reader may comment and answer questions. If any additional comments arose for other members, they can then raise a hand to request the floor.
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Posts

Austin Januarys are moderate warmths but on the lower end of its spectrum with treacherous lows cold enough that cold this contest win.

Austin Februarys are teasers of warmth, but sometimes a rebel coup of Mr. cold and Ms. cool nights and days will tame those who are too bold with short pants, thin shirts, and thin skirts. And this is the month Mr. Freeze visits to tease, where sunny days often let you down.

Austin March starts a sincere warming trend very favorable in highs and lows make you feel sure spring will begin and stay to chase your blues away.

Austin April has signed a contract to bring only the most deliciously comfortable temperatures that life has seen.

Austin May gives a hint of steamy events yet to come where thereafter being. hot will be held in retention and be the number one affliction.

Austin June and July is when the heat hits the fan, something you’d better have on hand or cancel your plans!

Austin August places you in the heat of the heat and this month is only neat if your genetics love the hottest of the heat.

Austin September is the month that attempts to rescue you from the hottest heat – but you still will need to arrange a few cool treats to make it through this restrained heat.

Austin October signs the grandest songs of warm days and comfortable walks in the night – where going out for entertainment is the best of fun, where fun is at its highest heights.

Austin November has moderated the heat with a few nights of cool air mixed with warm to bestow a hint that summer is not forever, and that warmth is not always the weather’s intent.

Austin December will tame your willful shame to imagine that Austin summer is forever. A feeling kept in vain when Mr. cool then Mr. cold aims to rule the nights in December.

Palm trees blow in the heat of the West Texas sun
Houses breathe steadily as the people inside wipe stars and dreams from their eyes
Hues of brilliant gold and lavender rise over the mountains
And in the distance, in our sister city, our hermanos y hermanas rise as we do

My mother wakes us with smells of menudo, tortillas, y pan dulce
The veins on her brown hands pulse like rivers passing over adobe
My father cooks beside her, his own hands much larger and clumsier
He makes her laugh as they kiss to the sound of the sizzling comal

My brother and I enter the kitchen with scrunched faces at our parents’ embrace
When they look away we smile at their love not knowing it would be otherwise
My father serves us menudo, solemnly sprinkling in the inescapability of change and heartache
My mother passes the tortillas with the promise that, at least for now, we will always be this happy

There was peace there. I remember. In those moments. In those mornings. There was peace.

The slaves were openly unhappy in their enslavement. Fear of their captors only worked to deter open discussion of an uprising. When slaves were given an opportunity to rebel, they often took it. They assaulted slave owners when opportunity for escape was present. Weary from being assaulted and loosing valuable slaves to escape, slave owners devised new ways to keep slaves subservient. The slaves obviously had reason to be unhappy. There was no deceiving them about this. But their perceived reasons for unhappiness, these could be fabricated. Slave owners led slaves to believe slaves of other faiths were reasons for their unhappiness. Some slaves began turning on each other. But other slaves continued to fight their captors. So slave owners led slaves to believe slaves of other continental descent were reasons for their unhappiness. More slaves turned on each other. But other slaves continued to fight their captors. So slave owners gave some slaves limited favor. With the jealousy instilled with this favoritism, all slaves were turned against each other. No longer were slave owners assaulted by slaves as they were no longer considered the primary cause for the slaves’ unhappiness. No longer did slaves attempt to free themselves as the perceived primary cause for their unhappiness was not their lack of freedom, but rather the conditions created by their fellow slaves.

It was the first snowfall of the year
My bags were packed and I was ready to go
The excitement grew and I filled with cheer
But something was, something I did not know
I remembered the door, I remembered the keys
On the way to the car it all came at once
Here I come mountains. I’ll be flying like the birds and the bees
But down I fell to the ground and onto my nose
It was the first snowfall of the year
And it was the last snowfall for me that year